Ferruginous Duck

Aythya nyroca

Introduction

The male Ferruginous Duck is a handsome chestnut-coloured diving duck, small in size, and a rare visitor from eastern Europe. Most records come from south-east England during the winter months.

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

562.5g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

7.1k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

% expansion

No data

No current data

81% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Near Threatened

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Lincolnshire, pre-1771

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Ferruginous Duck is a rare bird in the UK with fewer than 10 records per year on average [Bacon et al. 2024]. Although breeding was suspected in 2004 and 2006 [Holling & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 2010], there have been no confirmed breeding records for this species. The European population status is unknown [BirdLife International 2021].

Distribution

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Ferruginous Ducks mostly winter in southern Britain with clusters of occupied 10-km squares around Chew Valley Lake in Avon, the Thames Valley, Norfolk Broads and the East Midlands. They generally associate with Pochards, with which they are likely to make local movements, so these clusters of sightings may relate to a single bird visiting nearby sites within and across winters.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in breeding season

% occupied in breeding season

0.03%

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

1.4%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Winter Distribution for Ferruginous Duck

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or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Ferruginous Duck

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or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

81 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Ferruginous Duck

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or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution change for Ferruginous Duck

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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Ferruginous Duck is a scarce vagrant, usually detected in winter.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Ferruginous Duck movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Ferruginous Duck, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Ferruginous Duck

Classification and Codes

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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Scientific name: Aythya nyroca
Authority: Güldenstädt, 1770

BTO 2-letter code: FD
BTO 5-letter code: FERDU
Euring code number: 2020

Alternate species names

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Catalan: morell xocolater
Czech: polák malý
Danish: Hvidøjet And
Dutch: Witoogeend
Estonian: valgesilm-vart e. ruskevart
Finnish: ruskosotka
French: Fuligule nyroca

German: Moorente
Hungarian: cigányréce
Icelandic: Jarpönd
Irish: Póiseard Súilbhán
Italian: Moretta tabaccata
Latvian: baltacis
Lithuanian: paprastoji rude
Norwegian: Hvitøyeand

Polish: podgorzalka (zwyczajna)
Portuguese: pêrra
Slovak: chochlacka bielooká
Slovenian: kostanjevka
Spanish: Porrón pardo
Swedish: vitögd dykand
Welsh: Hwyaden Lygadwen

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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